Abstract
Through autobiographical writing and ethnographic observation, this study highlights the life experience and educational activism of Jeanette “Adama Jewel” Jackson, founder and director of African Soul International, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles. The chapter exemplifies how, for African Americans, African dance can be a critical practice of resistance, self-affirmation, and vital cultural recovery. The authors align with the premise of African dance scholar Thomas DeFrantz that rhythm and dance are a tangible hallmark of an African retention of heritage and spirituality that can afford a positive sense of identity. Fundamentally, the study highlights West African dance as a practice of spiritual well-being.
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Cruz Banks, O., Jackson, J. (2019). West African Dance and Spiritual Well-Being for African Americans. In: Bond, K. (eds) Dance and the Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 73. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95699-2_6
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